


Need You Now

by sleepismyfriend



Category: Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005), The Sarah Jane Adventures
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-17
Updated: 2011-02-17
Packaged: 2017-10-15 17:43:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/163258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepismyfriend/pseuds/sleepismyfriend
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the disastrous non-wedding to Peter Dalton, the fourth Doctor appears in Sarah's attic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Need You Now

**Author's Note:**

  * For [marzipanilla](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=marzipanilla).



> The prompt was Four and Ten arguing over Sarah.

From his spot on Sarah's red leather sofa, the Doctor could see why Sarah's attic was a worthy environment to save the world in. There were several alien artefacts that had caught his eye, as well as Mr. Smith, whose panels were still hanging open though he was running diagnostics silently.

However, none of that mattered compared to Sarah's well being. When he had arrived earlier, she nearly collapsed in his arms before he even greeted her, a sign that something was terribly wrong. Never in all their time together had he ever seen her cry like that, and it rather unnerved him.

He quickly manoeuvred them to the sofa, Sarah silently complying as a shell of her normally strong self. She settled along his side, her hands entwining themselves in his long scarf as she rested her head over his hearts, explaining to him that this was no ordinary day. Never mind the fact that he hadn't come back for her and they had lost so much time. She and her young companions had fought the Trickster, but Peter Dalton was the reason they had won. There were a few vague details, but the Doctor tried not to notice and just listen as he soothingly stroked her hair.

After sitting in silence for several moments, Sarah's breathing eventually slowed, and the Doctor felt the grip on his scarf loosen enough that he knew she was asleep. He was perfectly content to remain where he was now, tracing a line up and down past her left ear. Several times, his fingers toyed with the band that held Sarah's hair up and he had resisted the urge to undo the loose bun until now.

He was careful not to disturb her as he reached up with the hand that had been on her hip to take out the band. It came out rather easily and Sarah unconsciously snuggled down into him further as he tossed the band to the side and gently finger combed her hair. With her hair now loose, the Doctor was reminded of their time together, and he hadn't realized till now how much he had missed his Sarah.

Closing his eyes, his nose brushed the top of her head, and he felt a wave of relaxation course through him. Leave it to Sarah to make him feel at peace, even when she felt anything but peaceful. He was glad that Leela wasn't with him right now, as he didn't particularly want to hear her comments about him comforting Sarah.

He was so lost in his own line of thinking that he didn't notice the sound of a different TARDIS whirling away in the distance. With his eyes still closed, he paid no attention to the attic door opening, and a pair of red Converse walking across the room to stand in front of him and Sarah.

"You're not supposed to be here," this Doctor said quietly, fully aware that his tone of voice would only wake Sarah and that was the last thing that he wanted.

"So?" Still stroking Sarah's hair, the Doctor opened his eyes to stare at his other self, noting the spiky hair and blue suit that seemingly made up his younger looking outward appearance.

"I'm you, and I think I would remember being here with Sarah, which I don't which means something somewhere is not where it's supposed to be." This Doctor crossed his arms, both eyes trying not to watch Sarah. "Where in our timeline are you?"

"Does it matter?" The Doctor's fingers moved of their own volition to stroke Sarah's cheek. "I'm here, now. Sarah needed me."

"She's had a rough day." This Doctor scratched the back of his head before shoving both hands into his trouser pockets. "I should know. I was there."

"Glad to know one of us was," the Doctor said, shifting his arms to accommodate Sarah's sudden shift so that she was almost lying on top of him. "Which one are you?"

"I'm the tenth," the tenth Doctor sighed.

"Before or after Rose Tyler?" The Doctor raised an eyebrow, and saw the look that crossed his older self's face. "Right then, I'll assume after which means you have either picked up Martha Jones or are about to meet her."

"How—"

"I will never get to be you without knowing a few things about my future. You forget that the Matrix exists on Gallifrey. Not to mention, I may have run into myself several times without realizing it."

"Martha's gone. As is Donna."

"Yet Sarah remains here on Earth, getting trapped in time locks and losing the people that she most cares for. That's a fair bargain." The Doctor swore he heard Sarah mumble something under her breath, and was afraid that she was waking up. "You should really go."

"I'm not the one who's not supposed to be here." The tenth Doctor's agitation was apparent. "If anyone should leave, it should be you."

"Yes, but my dear lad, I am all ready here, and have all ready done what you came here to do which is ultimately to take care of Sarah. Regardless of which one of us stays, her best interest is all I care about."

There was a shared exchanged look between the Doctors as both of them stared one another down.

"It appears I've forgotten how much Sarah means to you, or rather to me, to us. She's still my best friend."

"I do hope you've gotten better about telling her that than I have. I'm afraid I messed up several times along the way." The Doctor looked down to Sarah.

"But you're here now," the tenth Doctor said, his eyes darting between the Doctor and Sarah. "Don't waste the opportunity. Peter Dalton sacrificed his life to save our Sarah. He was a better man than either of us could ever hope to be."

The tenth Doctor then walked towards the door, and lingered in the doorway at the first sounds of Sarah's waking up. He was careful not to make any noise as he closed the door behind him.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [You Still Mean Something](https://archiveofourown.org/works/187657) by [sleepismyfriend](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepismyfriend/pseuds/sleepismyfriend), [Spydurwebb](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spydurwebb/pseuds/Spydurwebb)




End file.
